We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Savaun a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Savaun, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
For a while I would automatically dismiss any compliment or opportunity that others would present to me. My voice is not as high as most mainstream artists, so I started to see my voice as undesirable. During the pandemic lockdown, I got heavily into recording covers and original songs from home, and I began to recognize that though my voice is not “mainstream” it is unique and I have worked hard to be the best singer I can be! I put a cover of Giveon’s “Like I Want You” on YouTube that now has over 56,000 views. This was a huge confidence boost.
The key to facing imposter syndrome, for me, was to recognize that I don’t have to try to be like others. What I have to offer is enough.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
When people ask about my musical endeavors, I usually tell them that I am a background vocalist that makes my own music for fun. I love to arrange and record background vocals for myself and for other artists. As time goes on I gain confidence as a solo artist as well. Songwriting has become a release for me. My hope is that when people listen to my music, then can find something in the lyrics to relate to, and something in the beat to rock to.
Most recently, I released a song called “Remedies”. It can be found on all major streaming platforms!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
These are three pieces of my background that have contributed to where I am:
1. Exposure to various genres of music
2. Singing with others frequently
3. Challenging myself to practice and improve on skills that are difficult for me
My advice to others is simple: always look for ways to expand and improve your craft! No one is perfect. Those who are the best at what they do have put countless hours of meticulous practice and observation in.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
I have been reading a book titled “The Little Book of Talent” by Daniel Coyle.. It contains 52 tips to help people improve their skills. One of my favorite tips is to slow down during your practice. When we rush through practicing, we miss out on important details that mark the difference between professionals and amateurs. Quality practice is the key to improvement!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Instagram.com/thatdudesavaun
- Youtube: SavaunSings